Upholstering apparatus.



Patented l uly 3|, I900.

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UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IOI-IN ATKINSON STAPLES, or NEwsIIRe, New YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NOVELTY TUFTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UPHOLSTERING APPARATUS.

SPncIrIcArIoN forming part of Letters fatent No. 654,685, dated July 31, 1900.

I Application filed February 8, 1899; Serial No. 704,952. 0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ATKINSON STA4 PLEs, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at NeWburg, county of'Orange, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upholstering Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specifica: tion.

This invention relates to an apparatus or machine designed for doing plaited upholstered work, and especially to upholstering machines for forming carriage-seat cushions,

carriage-seat backs, and similar cushions.

Its object is to produce certain improvements in machines of this character, as will'be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is .a perspective view of the mold or formingboard provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a fragmentarysectional view showing the position of the clamp. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailvertical sections showing the combined formers and button-holding pins, and Fig. 5 is a top plan View of one of the pins and a portion of the base of the mold.

Like letters of reference'refer to like'parts in the several figures- The cushion, back,or seat which is now produced by the improved forms'of upholstoring-machines consists of a covering of cloth, leather, or the like, a backing or bottom of burlap, cardboard, or other suitable material, and a filling of hair,exce1sior, or

other similar material. The covering is tufted, and the back and cover are secured together with cleuch nails or tuft-buttons,

which pass through thoseportions of the covering and back which lie at the'bottom of the tufts, and the edges of thecushion are finished ofi in the manner desired, according to the use for which it is intended.

The reference-letter A indicates the mold or forming-board wherein the cushion is upholstered, which is in the form of a shallow rectangular or other shaped box and of a size equal to the desired size of the proposed cushion. This mold' has a series of formers or tuckers Bsecured rigidly in its bottom wall and projecting upwardly to locate each button in the cushion and to form the divisions or tufts of the cushion. These formers may of course be varied in number and relative arrangement, according to the number of plaits desired or the form and character of the tufts. The formers are circular in shape and are composed of a base I) and a number of upwardly-projecting spring-arms b integral with the base. The arms are formed by a number of longitudinal slits 12 extending downwardly from the upper end thereof. In order to give sufiiicient spring to the armsb', the slits 11' extend the greater part of the length of the formers and below the upper face of the base of the mold when the formers are in position thereon. It is therefore necessary to leave a recess or well 11 around each of the formers, so the arms may have sufficient play to move the required distance when the button is inserted in the seat provided for its reception at the top. This may be accomplished in various ways. Forexample, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the former may be of uniform diameter, and the seat or well in which it rests may be of unequal diameter,-being larger at its top or for aportion of its depth, or, as shown in Fig. 4, the seat or well may be of uniform diameter and the upper or arm portion of tion by which a well or recess is provided ex tending to near the bottom of the slits 12 so that the arms may expand or spread when the head of the clench-nail or tuft-button is inserted in the seat, will accomplish the purpose sought.

In using upholstering-machines a covering F, of suitable material, such as leather or cloth, is first perforated wherever a button should be located upon it. It is then placed in the mold or forming-board in an inverted position, theouter face of the material being down, and the perforations are placed over tons, which are already in place upon the formers. The fabric is then secured in place .by suitable tucking tubes or plaiters of wellknown construction, which are secured to the formers in any suitable manner well understood in, the art, as in Fig. 2. The plaiters bring the fabric closely against the form ers, leaving a fullness of material about the formers which forms the plaits. As the ma the former may be reduced. Any constructhe sharp points of the pins of the tuft-butterial is plaited by the tu cking-tubesin a uni; j

iformde'sign, it isdesirable to have the plaits or folds in the front edge of the fabric in line with oriof the same pattern as the plaits in the body of the cushion. To do this, means are provided to indicate to the. workmen the] location of the plaits in the body ofthe cush- "1 -ion either before or after the backing has I been clenched to the cover by the tuft-butaccomplish by providing the spaced openings (1 along the top edge of the forming-board or mold. The edge of the mold is cut-away at 1 the predetermined points in the lines of the 7 several series offormers, and a metal rim D is secured along the top, upon which any suitable gripping. instrument 01 such as a' clothes-pin, may be secured at the several 1 j openings.

I Thus after the fabric is 'plaited in position by the tucking-tubes, as above set forth,'the edge extends over the rim D of the inoldn The folds 'or-plaitings comingin linewith the openings varound the same, the pla-itings in the edge may be completed by the op era tor either before or after the filling of hair r. c a V ers, tli'etucking-tnbes being omitted for bet-p As these openings are iny ter illustration.

or excelsior has been putin and the covering and backing united by the'tuft-bnttohs, as.

the openings id indicate the position of the V plaits and locate the points of. attachmentfor the clamps 01 This is clearly illustrated-in Fig. 1, where a portion of the covering Fis shown in the plaite'dposition over the form:

' linewiththe several seriesof formers, the

operator has but to plait the edge at the open-i ings'and. attach "a clamp ,inorder" that the plaits in the edge of the fabric shallcorre- V spond withthoseinthebody't-hereof to produce a cushionhaving a uniform arrangement or V pattern-of tufts After thetuft-bnttons have been clenched in place the operatorres moves the clamps and tacks the top and bot- J tommaterials tothe seat-frame,withwhich I the portions are? assembled in the press. The

various types of upholstering-niachines now; I

, clamps indicate thelocation of the plaits, at which points the tackspass in order to secure theaplaits in final-position. U 7 Itwill of course be understood that-mods "fications and changes may'be made without 7 p in any manner departing from the spirit of.

nyj invention. Thus, for example, the spaced edge for the mold may be used in any of the in use regardless of: the form or arrangement "of the formersmhich maybeeithercombined farmers; and tuft-button holders, as here est;

shown, or. merely formers .operatifig'iin conjunction with independent button 1 holders. It will also be understood that the rim D may be of a single piece'or a plurality of pieces, each forming one or more of the notches d, the purpose in any case being to provide a suitablepartwhichthe clamps may grip to hold :the plaits in: position. -It is apparent that the base and wings of. the button-hold- .ers may be integral or separateandunited' in any suitable manner. Other changes familiar to those skilled in the art may-be made within the limits ofmy invention;

Having thus described my invention,what "Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- -ent,'is-- r f r 1'. In an upholstering ap'paratus,jthe com: bination of a mold or forming-board,with expansible button-holders seated in wells in the base of the-mold, substantially asdescribed. 2. In an upholstering apparatus, the corn fbinationof a mold or forming-board, having seats in its base, with e'fcpansible buttonholders-secured in said seats,one of said parts being of uniform diameter, andthe other being of greater diameter for a portion of its length, substantially as set forth. r

3. In an upholstering apparatus, a mold provided with formers and with seats corresponding with said formers toindicate the locationof'the plaits, and clamps adapted to said seats, substantiallyas described. 4. Inan upholstering apparatus, the combination with a mold provided with formers, of means to clasp the plaits in the edge of the material, substantiallyas described 5 In an upholstering apparatus, the combination of a mold or'forming-board provided with formers in itsbase, andwith-notchesin its edge, with a rim secured to saidedge, substantially as described"; 1 r

W 6; Inanupholstering apparatus,a1mold or forming-board having combinedfor'mers and 7. I 1 an hois trmgiapparatus, the coinbination of a mold having combinedformers andbuttonj -h0lders seated in wells inits base,

and anotched edge, with means to seat suitableclamps at the notches in, the edge,- substantiallyas described. l s j In testimony whereof I aflixmy, signature JOHN ATKINSON STAPLE-s. Witnesses; v A. BARTLETT,

in presence of two witnesses;

. s J. MoRoBERTs. 

